Psychology Overview: Anxiety & Theories

Anxiety, Mood, and Stress

• Psychology uses evidence-based interventions with strong research foundations.
• Applications exist in diverse settings: community centers, private practice, prisons, hospitals, and non-profit organizations.
• AHPRA registration ensures practitioner competency and ethical conduct.
• Psychological scientists study the mind and behavior, ranging from brain function to social interaction.
• Psychiatrists hold medical degrees, can prescribe medication, and focus on diagnosing and treating mental illnesses.
• Social workers connect individuals with community resources, focusing on systemic support and social justice.
• Counselors hold master's degrees. They focus on guidance and support.

Psychological Theories

• Scientists systematically investigate the natural world through observation, experimentation, and analysis to develop theories.
• Scientific method doesn't prove absolute certainty, instead, incorrect ideas are disproven, allowing the most accurate to stand.
• The scientific method involves observation, questioning, hypothesis development, experimentation, analysis, conclusion, and revision.
• Theories are comprehensive and widely supported explanations based on extensive evidence.
• Hypotheses are specific, testable predictions about relationships between variables.

Emotions

• Emotions are psychological and physiological responses to internal and external stimuli.
• Emotions are shorter in duration than moods, which can last longer.
• Common emotional components are valence (positive or negative), intensity, and the object or situation being appraised.
• There are six universally recognized basic emotions.
• Various secondary emotions derive from these fundamental emotions.
• There are also culturally specific emotions.
• Moods are prolonged emotional states, less intense than emotions, and not directly linked to an event.
• Observable expression of emotions is called Affect, which encompasses facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice.
• Emotions are typically about something in the world. This is called aboutness in cognitive science.

Scientific Method

• The scientific method is the body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge.

• Components include: observation, question, hypothesis, experiment, analysis, conclusion, report/communication, re-evaluation/revision.

• Unfalsifiable means that a proposition cannot ever be proven false by any conceivable evidence or observation.

• Theories also make predictions about future events.

Hypothesis vs Theory

• A hypothesis is a specific, testable prediction or statement about the relationship between variables.
• Theories are comprehensive, well-supported explanations of phenomena, based on a larger body of evidence and multiple tested hypotheses.

Types of Emotions/ Disorders

• Anxiety: Fear related to a possible future threat. Appraising an ambiguous or uncertain situation as threatening.
• Fear: Fear related to an immediate threat. Appraising an event as a significant threat, and believing that there is a limited ability to handle it.
• Panic attacks: Intense fear with physical symptoms (e.g., rapid heart rate, sweating, shortness of breath).
• Panic Disorder: Recurring, unexpected panic attacks and fear of subsequent attacks.
• Agoraphobia: Fear of situations where escape or help might be difficult.
• Specific Phobias: Intense fear of a specific object or situation.
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Persistent and excessive worry about various aspects of life. Usually involves several cognitive appraisals related to the threat and negative outcomes.

Anxiety Disorders

• Nature of Stimulus: Fear differs from Anxiety in the level of control over the situation. Fear is related to concrete stimuli while anxiety is related to anticipation of future threats.

• Cognition: Anxiety and disorders are different. People with anxiety often exhibit extreme negative thinking such as catastrophising, over-generalisation and what-if scenarios to heighten the sense of fear.

• Differences in Cognitions: Core fears in each anxiety disorder can differ. (e.g. separation anxiety, selective mutism)

Stress

• Stress: A broad non-specific response that happens in the body when there is any demand for significant change.
• Physical stressors include actual environmental disturbances such as illness, injuries or infections.
• Psychological stressors involve anticipating perceived threats and environmental change.
• Stress can have both positive (e.g., improving cognitive and physical performance) and negative consequences (e.g., illness and reduced quality of life).
• The body has specific responses (and systems ) to deal with different types of stress (SAM and HPA axis).

Mindsets

• Mindset: Attitudes and beliefs about skills, intelligence and abilities.
• Fixed mindset: Belief that abilities are unchangeable.
• Growth mindset: Belief that abilities can be developed through effort.
• Stress-is-enhancing mindset: Perceives stress as an opportunity for growth.
• Stress-is-debilitating mindset: Perceives stress as harmful.

Treatment

• Therapists typically assess clients to pinpoint the root of anxieties.
• Psychoeducation is often given to aid clients regarding the nature of anxiety and disorders which can lead to a clearer understanding and improved self-perception.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy are common treatments for anxiety disorders.
• Other treatments include: psychodynamic therapy, interpersonal therapy, couples therapy, and problem-solving therapy.

Negative Reinforcement and Punishment

• Negative reinforcement occurs when a behavior is strengthened due to removal of a negative stimuli (like avoiding something unpleasant preventing it's continuation).
• Negative punishment involves removing a desirable stimulus as a consequence of a behaviour (like removing a child's favorite toy). This encourages a stop to repeated actions.

Anxiety and Mood Disorders

• Differences between mood disorders and sadness include variations in intensity, duration, symptoms, and impact on daily functioning.
• Prevalence of mood disorders and anxiety disorders vary with gender.
• Biological factors, psychological factors, and social/environmental factors contribute to anxiety and mood disorders.

Core Feature and Symptoms

• Anxiety Disorders: Symptoms and Core Features of the core conditions vary.
• Panic attacks are characterised by a sudden surge of intense fear. People who encounter this often experience physical symptoms (including a racing heart).
• Fear is a response to a present threat while anxiety is a response to an anticipated threat.

Cognitive and Behavioral Theories of Mood Disorders

• The cognitive theory of depression suggests that schemas (underlying assumptions or beliefs) regarding relationships, one's self and the future can influence automatic appraisal and evaluation of events.
• Dysfunctional schemas are activated by a negative experience can contribute to, or even escalate depression.
• Negative behaviours such as withdrawal can reinforce negative beliefs.
• Cognitive and behavioral models highlight how thoughts, feelings, and behaviours interact to influence mood and emotions.

Cognitive, Behavioral, and Physiological Elements

• Fear and Anxiety share some similar physiological responses like increased heart rate and sweating. However, fear is more immediate and responses include instinctive behaviours to escape while anxiety is about a future threat and the response can involve planning and anticipating.
• Different appraisal of events between fear and anxiety leads to different cognitive and behavioral responses.

Research and Evidence-based Treatments

• Evidence-based practices should be founded on the best available research and be tailored to meet the individual needs of clients.
• Practices should be adjusted to meet with the lived experiences of clients.
• CBT has proved highly effective in treating anxiety and mood disorders.